Laowa just launched its third shift lens in the past month – and it's a world-first ZOOMING shift!
(Image credit: Laowa)
Do you love shift lenses, but wish they had the flexibility of a zoom? Well, Laowa has you covered with its latest product – the world's first zooming shift lens.
Not content with launching a pair of new tilt-shift lenses last month, Laowa's newest shift lens eschews the tilt functionality in favor of adding a wide-angle zoom range.
The new Laowa 12-24mm f/5.6 Zoom Shift is an APS-C lens that offers some pretty remarkable features – starting with that 102.5°-63.9° angle of view coverage, coupled with a constant f/5.6 aperture throughout the zoom range.
Obviously the headline feature here is the ±7mm shift capability. While this, like the aperture, isn't quite as versatile as the ±11mm Laowa 15mm f/4.5 Zero-D Shift and Laowa 20mm f/4 Zero-D Shift lenses, it should be remembered that those are primes.
The First Zoom Shift Lens for APS-C from Laowa - YouTube
While the Laowa 12-24mm f/5.6 Zoom Shift isn't a Zero-D(istortion) optic, the company promises "exceptional distortion control" – something I'm inclined to believe, as Laowa glass tends to excel in this area.
The Zoom Shift is a pretty tiny little lens, too, measuring just 99 x 80mm (that's smaller than a soda can) and weighing in at just 575g. It has a 77mm filter thread (which requires the lens hood to be attached) and has an impressive 15cm close-focusing distance, which should invite some interesting creative opportunities.
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The Laowa 12-24mm f/5.6 Zoom Shift can be ordered now, priced at $699 (approximately £537 / AU$1,053), and is available for Canon RF, Sony E, Nikon Z, Fujifilm X, L-Mount and Canon EF-M – yes, a brand new lens for the discontinued EOS M system!
Be aware that the manufacturer makes a very similar-looking Laowa 12-24mm f/5.6 lens that doesn't feature a shift function – so make sure that you order the right one!
The editor of Digital Camera World, James has 21 years experience as a journalist and started working in the photographic industry in 2014 (as an assistant to Damian McGillicuddy, who succeeded David Bailey as Principal Photographer for Olympus). In this time he shot for clients like Aston Martin Racing, Elinchrom and L'Oréal, in addition to shooting campaigns and product testing for Olympus, and providing training for professionals. This has led him to being a go-to expert for camera and lens reviews, photo and lighting tutorials, as well as industry news, rumors and analysis for publications like Digital Camera Magazine, PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine, N-Photo: The Nikon Magazine, Digital Photographer and Professional Imagemaker, as well as hosting workshops and talks at The Photography Show. He also serves as a judge for the Red Bull Illume Photo Contest. An Olympus and Canon shooter, he has a wealth of knowledge on cameras of all makes – and a fondness for vintage lenses and instant cameras.
